Cheesecake Swirl Brownies!

Another guilty pleasure of mine. I definitely am making up for lost time in making cheesecakes because as a child I thought the idea of cheese in a cake was really weird. Then I discovered that I actually LOVE cream cheese!

I have been planning on baking all weekend, and I have been struggling with all the possibilities of what to bake. I was going to make a birthday cake for a friend at work, but just after I had mentally designed my masterpiece, another cake wandered through the door. Not wanting to show all my new colleagues my competitive side, I decided that two cakes in one week is too much. (Plus the other cake was AMAZING! To be honest, I pretty much think any cake will make me happy…)

Not wanting to go back on my promise of baked goods, I decided to do something a little less formal. My friend asked for a marble chocolate cake, so I dug up this recipe that I tried out about 12 months ago. It was delicious!

I am not someone who bakes a lot of brownies. I am someone who bakes a lot of cheesecake though. I was trying to muster the energy to make a biscuit base (too many dishes!), when I remembered this swirling masterpiece of deliciousness. The brownie is really rich and dense and the cheesecake is light and creamy. It really is a match made in heaven!

Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Ingredients:

For the cheesecake-

• 250g cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup castor sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the brownie-

• 100g butter
• 125g of dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plain flour

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190’C. Line a square slice tin and line with baking paper.

Place the chocolate and butter in the top bowl of a double boiler over boiling water (I use a glass bowl over a normal saucepan). Gently heat the chocolate and butter continuing to stir until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly without starting to set.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until all mixed.  Set aside.

Gently mix the chocolate mixture until smooth and shiny again. Stir in the sugar, extract, flour and salt. Add in the egg, and mix until fully combined.

In the prepared tin, add the brownie mix and then cover with the cheesecake mix. Using a knife or skewer, run lines through the batters to create a swirling effect. This will slightly mix the flavours, while still giving a varied texture.

Place the tin into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheesecake top layer is set. (Cheesecake is shiny when it is uncooked and will have a more dull appearance when set). Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting.

Enjoy!